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Masculinities / $3 / 2 oz
This purpose of zine, compiled by Cindy Crabb (of Doris), is to “highlight some of the more hidden, harder to define ways that patriarchal masculinity is subverted” through interviews with Shane Parish, Brontez Purnell, Larry, Tomas Moniz, Em, Ka Veen, and Colin Atrophy. The interviews are short but sharp, navigating through ideas of masculinity as it relates to fatherhood, feminism, self esteem, queerness, and so much more. This zine holds thoughtful, honest conversations about the things we don’t always find ourselves talking about with others, so I appreciate being privy to them through this project.

USA

International

(meta)paradox #5 / $3 / 2 oz
Olivia has been a longtime supporter of Stranger Danger & so it’s sweet to be carrying her zine in the distro. She calls this one “the neuroqueer issue,” with writing on “the intersection of queerness and neurodivergence (having a neurology that diverges from what is considered “normal”).” Olivia uses her writing to explore being queer, femme, Latina, atheist, autistic, & panromantic asexual, and how these parts of her identity interact with and influence one another. There’s so much in here that it would be impossible to recap it all in this description. It’s very personal, very text-heavy, & very long — 88 pages! You’ll be reading this one for days.

USA

International

No More Words #3 / $1.50 / 1 oz
Rachel says in the intro, “The point is this–my adulthood looks a lot different than I thought it would be” which is the loose framework for this zine. In her late 20’s, Rachel finds herself having to deal with what it means for her to be an adult — caring for an aging parent living with acute dementia, feeling like a fake at her job, reflecting on the way her teenage self viewed her eating disorder, being a single queer woman having to navigate the dating scene, processing the suicide of a cherished acquaintance, and more. Figuring out adulthood can be the absolute worst, and Rachel writes about it with clarity & honesty.

USA

International

PALS: The Radical Possibilities of Friendship (Revised + Expanded Second Edition!) / $2 / 2 oz
PALS is one of my most favorite zines ever published, so I am overjoyed that after taking the first edition out of print, Lee decided to publish a second edition that is twice as long (!!!) as the first. Lee uses PALS to share why friendship is so crucial to them, along with the reasons why creating & sustaining friendships can be a radical act. They write about the love they hold for their friends, the friendship disasters they’ve gone through, and the ways in which we make room for those we love. This zine will make you think about your own friendships, and it will fill your heart right up. Highly recommended.

USA

International

People Make Plans #3 / $3 / 1 oz
I’m gonna start this description the same way that Nicole starts her zine: “This is a zine about healing from trauma via my experiences with animals. While there are no explicit descriptions, there are references to violence.” This is an intense, aching zine, and I imagine it must have been very difficult for Nicole to write. It covers her history with animals — pets that her family took in (& neglected), the kitten that helped save her — but also reveals her history with suffering & the surfacing of old wounds. Nicole’s writing is direct & vivid, and it will bury itself deep inside of you.

USA

International

Pieces #13 / $3 / 2oz
Nichole devotes this issue of her long-running zine to writing on asexuality. She notes that it is “a basic primer to the orientation of asexuality and asexuality as a spectrum, at least as I understand it.” It’s both educational (without being overly academic) & personal, with Nichole breaking down exactly what asexuality is and how being a romantic asexual impacts her relationships with others. She unravels the ways that asexuality is invalidated, shares her disappointment over touch and sexual intimacy being so closely intertwined, and looks back on her own history of growing up in a sexual world. Excellent writing + a sweet cut and paste layout = everything you ever wanted in a zine, and it’s all in this one. Don’t miss it.

USA

International

Queer Sailor Moon Fanfiction Saved My Life / $4 / 2 oz
If there was a LP fan club, I’d be the president of it. They wrote one of my favorite zines (PALS: The Radical Possibilities of Friendship) & now they’ve given us another gem. The title of this zine sums up its contents. As LP writes in the intro, “This is the story of my girlhood and the unlikely ways I used nineties girl culture to survive it.” But you don’t have to be a Sailor Moon fan to appreciate it — this zine is more about the things we grasp onto that function as survival mechanisms & get us through tough times. It’s about 90’s pop culture & queer identity & growing up & making it out alive. Highly recommended.

USA

International

Race Riot #2 / forever sold out, but read it for free here!
This zine, the follow up to Evolution of a Race Riot, is a gigantic (118 pages!) comp zine that was first published in 2002 (reprinted & distributed in 2011 with permission of editor Mimi Nguyen). There is so much in here: frustrations over being held up as educator or enemy, conversations with friends who see racial tension as non-existent, the importance of being critical, examinations of language, & more more more. As Mimi says in her intro, “All these pieces were chosen to make you think, to prick you under the skin, to turn the screw, to incite rebellion in your hearts and minds.” This zine also comes with a 32 page project directory which serves as a historical document of many of the zines, comics, films, etc created by people of color in the late 90’s/early 21st century. It’ll be the best four bucks you’ve ever spent.

Roots of Hope / $4 / 3 oz
Through vivid descriptions, pictures and comics, Corinna weaves together stories of heartbreak and perseverance from her two years of living in Oaxaca, Mexico. She finds friends and lovers to discuss politics, teaching and feminism in Mexico. Corinna describes feelings of isolation from her illegal abortion, attempting to make friends in a new country, and having lovers leave her to return to drugs or wives. This is all heart and hope for a world with more honesty and empathy. As always, Corinna’s zines leave me longing for a life of adventure.